The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided humanitarian assistance worth more than Php14 million for the needs of families affected by a shear line that brought isolated thunderstorms and flooding in several regions across the country last February.

“The DSWD provided a total of Php14,578,175.65 worth of assistance to the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga to ensure that all families affected by the recent shear line will have sufficient aid,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Monday (March 10).

According to Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD’s spokesperson, a total of 1,262 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) were distributed to the provinces of Albay and Camarines Norte, while 703 boxes of FFPs were distributed to the provinces of Leyte and Southern Leyte.

In Caraga, Asst. Secretary Dumlao said personnel from the DSWD Field Office in the region were braving flooded waters to distribute assistance to flooded communities.

“Caraga region has been gravely affected by the shear line. In fact, 14,486 boxes of FFPs were distributed by our field office personnel in five provinces. The areas were Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. In addition, we provided 32 hygiene kits to affected families in Agusan del Norte,” the DSWD spokesperson said.

Aside from food and non-food items, the DSWD also provided financial assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) to 174 beneficiaries in Southern Leyte and three from Albay.

“We are consistently keeping in touch with concerned local government units (LGUs) to ensure the timely provision of assistance to families affected by the shear line,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (AKDL)